The Brussels Tribune N°9

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Gagnez 15 Restopass -30% dans 30 restos de Bruxelles !

Les barques ont fait leur grand retour sur le lac du Bois de la Cambre pour rejoindre l'ïle du Chalet Robinson (DR)

Le Bois is back!

Mensuel gratuit réalisé par La Tribune de Bruxelles - N°9 Novembre 2009

Distribué en partenariat avec

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Start Cultural Diary p.4-5 Art & Galleries p.5 People p.6 Euro Culture p.8-9 Socialising p.10 Focus on... p.12-15 Real Estate p.16-18 Sport p.19 Afterwork p.21-22 Shopping p.22-24 Weborama p.26

Lots going on in Le Bois

Climate Change : Time's running out Climate change will be a big political issue in December. So we've come up with a few 'green' ideas so you can do your bit for the planet. p.12-15

Here’s a thought for readers. When you next head off to the Bois de la Cambre for a Sunday afternoon stroll, take the Brussels Tribune along with you. That way, you can sit and read about one or all of the cafes there while sitting in one of them! Why not take a boat across to the recently opened Chalet Robinson (picture on the front cover) for some lunch and then finish off the afternoon in Wood or the new look Jeux d’Hiver[JaA1] ? Go to pages 20 and 21 if you want to read about the history behind these places. If sport is your thing, how about going swimming with the family or going ice skating or even playing ice hockey!

You can find all three sports in close proximity in or near the Poseidon leisure centre near Tomberg metro (p.19). If cinema or literature takes your fancy, you can read about the films that are competing for a European Parliament cinema prize and the books that have won an EU prize for their particular country. In ‘Socialising’, find out about some comedy in Brussels, a night for ‘admaniacs’, some recommendations for special late night museum visits and a soiree where ladies pay half price one evening a month Our dossier this month is about climate change – a fascinating exhibition about Swedish energy-saving inventions, an exhibition at Tour & Taxis plus plenty of events you can attend to find out how you can save energy, the planet and money at the same time! We also have an interview with a Welsh rocket scientist living in Belgium, information about learning French at the Alliance Francaise, details of an ‘intergenerational’ housing project near Waterloo and lots more.

Julian Hale - TheBrusselsTribune@tbx.be

Socialising Are you Velvet Louise or Anglo-French comedies ? p.10 THE BRUSSELS TRIBUNE - Rue des Francs, 79 1040 Bruxelles www.tribunedebruxelles.be REDACTION: Tél.: 02 211 30 51- TheBrusselsTribune@tbx.be Coordination : Elodie Weymeels Ont collaboré à ce numéro : Julian Hale, Michèle Schoonjans, Charlotte Mickolajczak,Wasabi, ElodieWeymeels.

Real Estate Making la vita more bella in Waterloo p.16 The Brussels Tribune does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of content of blogs/websites - that is up to the reader.

COMMERCIALISATION : Contacts : Julie Veriter (0470.63 99 42 & 02 211 28 39) Hatim Elmajd (0498.629.237) IMMO : Véronique Le Clercq, Sales Manager, vero.leclercq@saipm.com Tél: 02 211 27 64 - 0475.57.62.35.

EDITEUR RESPONSABLE : François le Hodey MISE EN PAGE: Azur Graphic, Daphné De Ridder IMPRESSION : Sodimco The Brussels Tribune est imprimé sur du papier recyclé. Vous aussi respectez l’environnement en glissant votre magazine dans un sac ad hoc après sa lecture !

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4 Cultural Diary

Le dimanche n'aura plus de secret ! g Deux guides sortent ce mois-ci qui vont vous permettre de mieux apprivoiser le dimanche à Bruxelles. Un

brunch, une boutique, un endroit insolite ? Suivez-nous...

Passez en mode brunch

Balades dominicales

convivialité et gourmandise, ça s’appelle brunch et ça pétille.

Se rassembler autour d’une table et évoquer les frasques du week-end, on ne connaît rien de tel pour donner du peps à une matinée souvent morose. Oui, mais où aller ? L’oeil et le palais en éveil, Brigitte Fernandez, l’auteur de "Un an de brunchs à Bruxelles - 52 adresses incontournables" a arpenté la ville pour dénicher les meilleures adresses où bruncher. Résultat : une sélection colorée de restaurants, bistrots, hôtels et autres salons de thé qui égaiera les week-ends... pendant un an. Que vous ayez envie d’un moment intime, en famille ou entre amis, d’un endroit chic ou cosy, d’un buffet italien, d’une cascade de scones ou de harengs à la bruxelloise.

En pratique, le guide contient 52 adresses (un index alphabétique et un index thématique), 8 pages de recettes originales pour se concocter son home sweet brunch et 18 pages avec des idées de balades et activités digestives pour prolonger la "Sunday attitude", le tout illustré de plus de 150 photos en couleur. On peut retrouver toutes les adresses par nom de restaurant ou par thème de brunchs (en famille, terrasses ensoleillées, exotiques, grandes occasions, ...).

Le dimanche à Bruxelles, c'est un jour que l'on n'oubliera jamais, si on a un peu d'organisation et surtout le bon guide... Atrium, l'agence bruxelloise pour le développement urbain vient d'éditer un guide qui se glisse facilement dans un sac. En quelques 100 pages, il part en balade dans quatre grands périmètres commerçants de Bruxelles, faisant des haltes dans le quartier du Midi, le quartier St-Géry, le quartier St-Jacques, la Grand-Place, le quartier du Monts-des-Arts, les quartiers Sablon et Marolles et le centre de St-Gilles. Pour chaque quartier commerçant présent dans le livret, se trouve une brève présentation, une carte détaillée, un itinéraire conseillé et diverses haltes incontournables (de A à Z) réparties selon différentes thématiques, classées selon un code couleur (marché, horeca, commerce, architecture, monument et sculpture, parc, culture, art et musée, bande dessinée).

Un bémol... Ce guide n'est pas un annuaire complet des différentes boutiques ouvertes le dimanche : il parle de rues bien spécifiques, de lieux de vie où l'on peut découvrir une activité intéressante comme le PianoFabriek à St-Gilles ou encore le marché du Midi (et que l'on peut faire en semaine aussi !).

U "Brussels' Sunday Shopping", (en 3 parties : français, néerlandais et anglais) disponible gratuitement auprès des antennes Atrium Bruxelles-centre, St-Gilles, Midi (www.atrium.irisnet.be). Egalement auprès du BIP (place Royale 1 1000 Bruxelles) et chez les commerçants des quartiers concernés

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Galleries Contemporary Art | Exhibition

Metaphorical note The WE Project has gathered a selection of Pieter Laurens Mol (1946, Breda) works (photographs, drawings, sculptures and installations) produced between 1984 and 2009. His work is research into the essence of art through the inner relationship that a human being (in this case the artist) maintains with the world.

The WE Project presents several works based on linguistic principles. Beyond the formal relationship between the works, the poetic descriptions are also key.

The title is a transcription of a musical stanza of the nightingale. It is hard to pronounce and difficult to sing, but it expresses in an excellent way a “word in image”, which traces a visual horizon in a clear way - rhythmic, sequential and repetitive. Between the lines, Mol inserts hyphenation, stagnation points, pause, breathing, as if he practised a kind of acupuncture in the space. The line progresses Untitled ( Pavonine Self-Portrait) like a motive force endowed with 2004-2005 - Cibachrome-print on narrative, linguistic and literary quacardboard - 57,2x 48,7cm lities. The staccato, marked by several isolated works, acts like punctuation, a hyphen between the lines. In his works, Mol tackles the relationship between the visible and the invisible, which involves almost alchemical aspects Mol often synchronises the use of connoted objects and art history tradition with the work of “hermetic” artists like Yves Klein, Duchamp... His work is highly appreciated and exhibited in Europe as well as in the United States; and can be seen in public and private international collections.

The Book of Evidence - 1985 black and white photograph on zinc U 6.11.09-5.12.09 - Pieter Laurens Mol – «puu-puu-puu-tsing-tsing-tjafframe, 41 grey roofing tiles tjaf-tsjit» - WE Project – Rue Emile Regard, 20 – 1180 Brussels (Old Dutch Type) T: 0496 81 21 33 www.weproject.be >174x195x225 cm Monday to Saturday from 2-6pm, or by appointment

Contemporary Art | Exhibition

Audacious initiative U13.11.09 – 22.11.09 United Artist Fair Entrepôt Royal de Tour & Taxi 86c Rue du Port - 1000 Brussels Mon- Friday 12noon – 7pm, Saturday, Sunday 12noon – 6pm Free entrance United Artists Fair is an original initiative created by Dominique De Jaegher. An ‘artists walk’ aims to be different from the other group exhibitions. The idea is to create a synergy between 30 artists and to integrate their work in a Tour & Taxi exhibition area. The premises (from offices to outside spaces and shops) will be exceptionally animated by sculptures, paintings, photographs etc. Amongst the artists exhibiting are: Les Bijoux de Marie-France, Damien Paul Gal, Christine Jekey, Anne-Sophie Morelle, Gilles Préart, Rose-Marie Warzee and many others. It’s a pleasant way to spend your lunchtime or weekend. The fair is open to the public and is easy to get to.!

Where and when is the limit?

Since its invention, these controversies photography has of the past, they can been at the centre of inform us about our many controversies present and the way and major lawsuits. A that nowadays we symbol of freedom of look at photographs expression and indithat were once vidual rights but also controversial. This is of power and of an essential way to money, photography question ourselves regularly clashes about how we reswith authorities or or pond and react to is subject to censorimages in our daily Sarony Napoléon. Oscar ship or picture manilife. Is there real freeWilde. 1882. 49 x 39cm pulation. It caused dom of speech? After passionate debates, all isn’t it a question which often end up in court. of power or money? This is a witty Initially presented at the Museum exhibition that challenges us as to of the Elysée of Lausanne, the exhihow we look at images, how we bition presents a broad selection of think about eternal issues such as photographs, (all the subject of good versus evil, right versus lawsuits or controversies) well wrong, public versus private and, known or not so well known, from most importantly, the representhe beginnings of the medium tation and interpretation we right through to contemporary art. make of these issues.

The exhibition provides a better U22.11.09 - Controverses - A legal understanding of how society and and ethical history of photography cultures look at images at that time.

A controversy is a sensitive issue Botanique – Rue Royale, 236 – which reveals the convictions of 1210 Brussels - T/ 02 218 37 32 society at one given time. Why is www.botanique.be one photograph admired while Wednesday - Sunday another is censored or subject to a 12 noon – 8pm lawsuit? If we can learn from

The ultimate journey U 12.12.09

Martin Vaugh-James – Itinerary : a long voyage through time Galerie Libre Cour Rue de Stassart, 1000 1050 Brussels T/0473. 59 02 85 www.galerielibrecours.eu Thursday – Saturday 14h3018h30 or by appointment Free entrance The Galerie Libre Cours presents a retrospective of Martin Vaughn-James (1943-2009), a British artist who recently passed away. Vaughn-James was a great traveller and he leaves us his works, describing stories filled with subtle and discreet emotions.

Faits divers – 2005 66 x 130cm

During his career, VaughnJames was active in various intellectual disciplines such as literature, comic strips, photography, history and geography. In the mid-80s he decided to devote himself entirely to painting by entering a “more popular” style.

Based on past experiences, his narrative undoubtedly uses the past as a “Leitmotiv”. He revives his memories of the post-war period of his childhood, dedicates an unfailing attachment to them and records them in a new and memorable perspective. Using a palette of blended colours, the artist is very skilful in his drawing. He plays with paper, post cards, letters etc. He paints old envelopes that hold memories of a journey, a trip, a voyage. This is a search for a lost era shrouded in poetry and British humour.

The exhibition presents paintings and lithography (some from private collections) from the last twenty years, works immersed with his wandering traveller spirit and his expat view in a world of change.

Don’t miss the video in the small room opposite the gallery, showing the artist at work creating a painting.

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People

Rocket scientist from Wales scores a try for Belgium

Chaque mois retrouvez les Européens de Sally Pidgeon qui nous parlent de leur vie, de leur passion et de leur ville. Envie de témoigner ? Ecriveznous à TheBrusselsTribune@tbx.be

g Welsh rocket scientist, Gareth Lawrence, embarked on his Brussels mission six years ago when he worked on a NASA project at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. When not looking into space, Gareth is a down-toearth mountain biker and an all-round avid sports fan who keeps in touch with his roots with the Welsh Society, and on top of the scores at strategically selected cafés around our city.

Name: Gareth Lawrence Living in: Ixelles Lived in: Wales (Aberystwyth), England (Birmingham, Brighton, Manchester, London), US (Washington DC) Advice for a newcomer to Brussels : If you arrive in January, be prepared to suffer because of the weather and miss what it most has to offer Languages spoken: Welsh, English, French, «bar Dutch» Favourite café in Brussels: «L’Archiduc for the music, the architecture, the staff and the front door makes you feel like you’ve worked to get in !» rue d’Antoine Dansaert Philosophy in life: “Ça plane pour moi” Plastic Bertrand

Name: Severine Plainchamp Living in : Ixelles Lived in: Bernissart Advice for a newcomer to Brussels: “Don’t judge a book by its cover – just cos it’s grey, doesn’t mean it’s boring!”

Languages spoken: French, Dutch, English, Spanish, Welsh Favourite cafe in Brussels: The Roskam, rue de Flandre Philosophy in life: “Never let it be said I was poltroon. As this my task of living, this my dream.” DH Lawrence

Unlike some expats you find hellbent on discussing how green the grass is on the other side, Gareth feels at home in this country and he has no intention of leaving. “I’ve always been interested in Belgium, first as a kid reading about cyclists like Eddy Merckx and Freddy Maertens and races like the Tour of Flanders, then later as an adult drinking Belgian beer!”

He goes beyond Brussels’ boundaries, cycling all over the country with the Brussels International Group of Mountainbikers, and also likes sampling the wares at Belgium’s fine beer festivals.

Gareth also benefits from greater career prospects within the space sector here compared to the UK. After his last project with NASA, he switched to the private sector. “The Belgian government has a positive attitude towards space research and development and the current commander of the International Space Station just so happens to be Belgian.”

Séverine Plainchamp, Gareth’s girlfriend, just so happens to be Belgian too, coming from Wallonia, near the French border. A lover of languages and literature, she was already teaching herself Welsh when she saw him at the podium reading poetry and sporting a red rugby shirt, with the Welsh flag draped around him, at a European culture event here in Brussels.

Local to Place Flagey’s diverse selection of cafés, choosing the right venue for both to enjoy a local beer is a team-picking exercise unto its own, as Gareth explains. “We could never decide on where to go. I don’t like DeValera’s because it’s normally full of expat (….) but Séverine doesn’t like Café Belga because it’s full of (…) arty Belgians. We both agree that the bourgeois French and Belgians at Le Patio d'Été are best avoided, with their Lacoste sweaters draped over their shoulders, and (…) kids running around.” Le Pitch-Pin is usually the decider due to its good selection of beers and for sports events Séverine

leaves Gareth to Fat Boys, or Michael Collins, unless there are any World Cup games, in which case she is happy to join him and support England at football, when neither Wales, nor Belgium qualify.

Besides otherwise enjoying in com-

mon a varied diet of Dostoevsky, Welsh cakes, mussels, Marmite, Marvin Gaye and Bach, they share the belief that the regions they come from are respectively blighted by social legacy. “Our grandmothers were physically punished for speaking their own languages,” says Gareth when comparing his Welsh own to Séverine’s grandmother from the Flemish side of her family.

“Today confusion over languages remains and both Belgium and Wales are still domineered and patronised by a larger neighbour.”

A fifth of the three million Welsh citizens speak Welsh, one of Europe’s oldest living languages, which was only recognised by the European Union last year.

It seems to complete Gareth’s contentment in Brussels, that he gets to keep his Welsh language alive, thanks to the Welsh Society. As Séverine says, «Brussels is life-size and all nationalities seem to belong here.»

Get on your bike with Brussels International Group of Mountainbikers!

More information at http://singlespeed.be/bigm/

SALLY PIDGEON I went along to the Welsh Society with the primary intention of writing a review. Being Welsh myself, I thought it wise to take a trusted Belgian friend to make sure I did not deliver a biased report – how could I expect anything less than a warm welcome from my compatriots?! What we discovered was an interesting group of characters, cutched up in a corner of an intimate bar, conducive to good conversation, located within Schuman’s austere architecture. From a socio-cultural perspective, this mixed group of Welsh and Belgian folk could be best interpreted in a comforting BBC drama, perfect for a Sunday evening on the sofa. While I loved that familiarity you get with your own, my foreign friend enjoyed feeling like he belonged to the Welsh in Brussels for the evening.

Conversation is open and whether you know much about Wales, or not, you will instantly be amongst friends and want to know more.

Be included by the Welsh and feel free to join in the chat at the next monthly social at The Old Hack Pub, just across the road from Berlaymont. English and Welsh spoken.

U Give Rhodri Thomas a call first to introduce yourself: 0486 076353 Or keep up with the Welsh Society’s social and cultural events in Brussels at: http://cymdeithas.blogspot.com

The name Wallonia is related to the name Wales, as the old Germanic term Walh simply means "stranger". Both Wallonia and Wales are regions where a "strange" (i.e. nonGermanic) language and culture exist. Wallachia in Romania has a similar derivation.

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www.derand.be ‘de Rand’ vous donne l’occasion de rencontrer la communauté et la culture flamandes.

COURS DE NÉERLANDAIS Apprenez le néerlandais pour la pratique au quotidien dans une ambiance détendue.

PROGRAMME CULTUREL Profitez d’un concert classique, de musique mondiale ou de jazz dans un centre culturel à Wemmel, Kraainem, Wezembeek-Oppem, Jezus-Eik, Sint-Genesius-Rode ou Linkebeek.

BIENVENUE DANS LA PÉRIPHÉRIE FLAMANDE DE BRUXELLES Demandez votre cadeau de bienvenue plein d’informations culturelles et locales.

Consultez notre site en français, en anglais et en allemand. vzw ‘de Rand’, Kaasmarkt 75, 1780 Wemmel Info : tél. 02/456.97.80 fax 02/456.97.81 e-mail : info@derand.be

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8 Euro Culture Cultural Centre | Portrait

Brush up your French at the Alliance Française g Whether you’re looking to start French from scratch, acquire knowledge of a certain kind of French (e.g. legal

French) or obtain an official certificate stating your level of French, the Alliance Française is the place to go!

The Alliance Française’s ‘Directrice’ Pascale de Schuyter Hualpa explained to the Brussels Tribune that her vision was “to adapt the Alliance Française to the demands of people coming here”. So, even if you have missed the beginning of a three month period of group classes, you could decide to make a request for a particular kind of class. “Tailored classes for a group of around eight to ten people are possible,” she adds. One on one classes are also possible although Mme de Schuyter Hualpa says that these work best if the individual has a specific short-term aim. Otherwise, she recommends group classes as speaking with others is also very important. She points out that Brussels has a lot to offer in that respect as there are so many different nationalities in each class.

Another plus point is that there are some Belgian teachers as well as French teachers, which means that you’ll be able to learn ‘Belgian French’ as well as ‘French French’ (e.g. a folder is ‘une farde’ in Belgian French and ‘une chemise’ in French French).

Language talk The Alliance Française’s ‘Directrice’ Pascale de Schuyter Hualpa talks of promoting French and not defending it – « defending it against what », she says. She says that the Alliance Française stands for language diversity as a whole. Her view is that the big plus about language learning is that it opens up people’s minds and helps them think more deeply. She points out that languages have always borrowed from each other and happily uses ‘le weekend’ or ‘le parking’ although prefers ‘le courriel’ [courier electronique] to ‘le mail’. She also noted that the word ‘Bistrot’, which many people regard as typically French, is in fact Russian for ‘quick quick’, which is what Russian soldiers used to say when they were ordering something to drink in Paris in Napoleonic times!

The legal French, ‘holding meeting’ or ‘negotiation’ workshops may appeal to European Commission officials in particular. All are 30 hour modules. Although the term began in October, there will be more group classes on offer as from January. There are also classes for children aged 13 to 18 years old on Saturdays from 9am til noon. All students can take French language exams to obtain a certificate indicating their level. That can also be done without doing any classes at the Alliance Française. Students also have access to the library, which is well stocked with novels, comic strips, newspapers, magazines, music, films, audio cassettes and grammar/exercise books. You can also listen to tapes or watch a video or access the internet here.

Alternatively, you can borrow videos as well as some books. A new series of workshops linking French classes and wine tasting will begin in December with some wines that you might consider for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Facts about the Alliance Française • The Alliance Française as a whole was set up in 1883.

• The President d’Honneur of the Alliance Française is the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

• In 2007, there were over 1,000 associations in 133 countries teaching over 440,000 students.

• The Brussels association was set up in 1945.

• The President of the Brussels Alliance Française is Jean-Pierred de Launoit, who is also President of Alliance Française in the world.

Literature

EU Literature Prize names 12 national winners for 2009 Twelve national winners have been named in 2009 as part of the EU’s new Literature Prize, which will carry on in 2010 and 2011 with 15 more national winners (Belgium in 2010). This prize is meant to put the spotlight on the creativity and diversity of Europe’s contemporary literature, encouraging more circulation of literature within Europe and interest in non-national literary works.

We picket out a few of what sound like some very interesting stories:

angels of Frost - a peculiar form of being which appears to be a native inhabitant of Ice.

CROATIA

SWEDEN

Ice Girl and Other Fairy Tales consists of 13 stories and is a clever combination of the miraculous and supernatural intertwined with the real. It’s written in such a way that there is no obvious separation or contrast between the real and the invented, between possible and impossible.

POLAND

The Shadow of a Crime is a mixture of fact and fiction, and is an attempt to understand both the taboo that arose within the von Sydow family in relation to the murders by Fredrik von Sydow and why he committed the murders. The author Helena Henschen’s mother was the younger sister of Fredrik von Sydow.

Ice takes place in an alternate universe where the First World War never occurred and Poland is still under Russian rule. Following the Tunguska event, the Ice, a mysterious form of matter, has covered parts of Siberia in Russia and started expanding outwards, reaching Warsaw. The appearance of Ice results in an extreme drop in temperature, putting the whole continent under constant winter, and is accompanied by Lute,

Fredrik von Sydow, who came from an upperclass family in Stockholm and studied Law at Uppsala University, murdered his father Hjalmar (an MEP) and two maids employed in the household in March 1932. It took a few hours before the police were able to locate him in a restaurant with his wife but, by then, Fredrik had shot and killed his wife and himself.

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Euro Culture 9 Films

Euro Parliament cinema prize down to the last three Three films have been shortlisted to win the European Parliament’s LUX [lux is Latin for ‘light’] Prize for cinema. The winner will be chosen after a vote by all 736 Members of the European Parliament on 24 November before being awarded in Strasbourg by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek on 25 November. The prize, worth about 87,000 euro, will finance subtitling into the EU’s 23 official languages, including the adaptation of the original version for visually- or hearingimpaired people, and, for each EU’s member state, the production of a 35-mm print or a contribution to the DVD release.

AUSTRIA Mr Paulus Hochgatterer Die Sübe des Lebens (2006) – in English: the Sweetness of Life CROATIA Mrs Mila Pavicevic Djevojãica od leda i druge bajke (2006) – in English: Ice Girl and Other Fairy-tales

The three films still in the running will be shown in the European Parliament in Brussels from 3 to 20 November with one film at 1pm, a second at 7pm and the third at 9pm.

They are:

STURM (Hans-Christian Schmid, 2009) WELCOM E (Philippe Lioret, 2009)

Running time: 110 min.

Original languages: English, German, Bosnian, Serbian

Running time: 110 min. Original languages: French, Kurdish, English

Hannah Maynard, a prosecutor at The Tribunal in The Hague manages to convince a young Bosnian woman to testify against an alleged war criminal. Amidst the inconsistency of political interests and threats coming from Bosnian Serb nationalists, she realizes that her opponents not only sit on the dock across from her, but are also found in her own ranks. Hannah faces the trial of her life, all of a sudden torn between her strong beliefs in the system and her loyalty towards the witness.

Simon works as an instructor and lifeguard at the Calais swimming pool.

To impress his wife and win her back, he decides to take a big risk, when he secretly helps out a young Kurdish refugee who wants to swim across the English channel.

The twelve national winners of the EU’s Literature Prize

FRANCE Mrs Emmanuelle Pagano Les Adolescents troglodytes (2007) HUNGARY MrsSzécsi Noémi Kommunista Monte Cristo (2006) – in English: Communist Monte Cristo IRELAND Mrs Karen Gillece Longshore Drift (2006) ITALY Mr Daniele Del Giudice Orizzonte mobile (2009) - in English: Movable Horizon LITHUANIA Laura Sintija âerniauskaitò Kvòpavimas ∞ marmurà (2006) - in English: Breathing into Marble NORWAY Mr Carl Frode Tiller Innsirkling (2007) - in English: Encirclement

EASTERN PLAYS (Kamen Kalev, 2009) Running time: 89 min.

Original languages: Bulgarian, Turkish, English Two brothers who have lost all contact are suddenly brought together when they have opposite roles in a racist beating: while Georgi who’s recently joined a neonazi group participates in the violence, Itso witnesses and rescues the Turkish family. Georgi, now being asked to participate in larger events, starts to question his implication in the movement and Itso wonders if the beautiful Turkish girl he saved could be his ticket out from his sad life in Sofia. Only by reuniting will the two brothers be able to assess what they really want from life.

To be eligible for the competition, films must illustrate or question the founding values of our European identity, Europe’s cultural diversity and/or bring insights into the debate on the EU integration process. This is the third year of the prize. Auf der anderen Seite (by Fatih Akin, 2007) and Le Silence de Lorna (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, 2008) were the first two LUX Prize winners. There will also be a gala event with the film directors on 10 November. MEPs from the European Parliament’s Culture Committee are being invited to attend.

POLAND Mr Jacek Dukaj LÓD (2007) – in English: ICE PORTUGAL Mrs Dulce Maria Cardoso.

Os Meus Sentimentos (2005) SLOVAKIA Pavol Rankov Stalo sa prvého septembra (alebo inokedy) (2008) - in English: It Happened on September the First (or whenever) SWEDEN Mrs Helena Henschen I skuggan av ett brott(2004).

- in English: The Shadow of a Crime

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10 Socialising A la carte

Are you an ‘admaniac’?

Brussels’ famous ‘Nocturnes’ [late evening opening] have been going on since late September and will carry on until mid-December. We’ve put together a few recommendations that might appeal to individuals and to families. If you want to check out the full list, you can find it at: nocturnes.brusselsmuseums.be/ (website in English, French and Dutch).

Schaerbeek Museum of Beer Comic strip and beer – or beer in bubbles: Discover albums, sketches, posters, beer mats, labels and bottles illustrated by great writers and artists and go on a guided tour (booking essential – 6pm, 8pm in French; 7pm in Dutch). Local beer and sandwiches can be bought.

U Avenue Louis Bertrand 33-35 1030 Schaerbeek 5pm-10pm on 19 November Cost: 2.50 euro To book, call 02 216 67 43 or 02/215 01 78 or email muschaerbiere@yahoo.fr

Wellington Museum Drawing the Empire is a comic strip exhibition about the Napoleonic empire.

There’ll be a chance to taste beer and cheese from Waterloo and, for the kids, sweets from St Nicolas and a chance for those seven years and older to draw a historical comic strip (5.30pm8.30pm). Reservations essential for the guided tours (at 7pm and 8pm in French and Dutch) and children’s activities.

U 147 Chaussée de Bruxelles, 1410 Waterloo 5pm-10pm on 26 November Cost: 2.50 euro To book, call 02 357 28 60 or email museewellington@skynet.be

René Magritte Museum (Jette) In this house, the surrealist painter Magritte completed nearly half of his entire oeuvre. A wide range of paintings, drawings, documents and personal objects are on display.

U 135 Rue Esseghem, 1090 Jette Guided tours at 6.30pm and 8.30pm on 12 November Cost: 2.50 euro To book, call 02 428 2626

If you love adverts [the event is called ‘publivores’ as in people who literally devour ‘les pubs’] then check this event out!

You’ll be treated to six hours worth of over 400 hilarious, terrible and brilliant ads from over 70 countries.

UBozar Bruxelles, 23 Rue Ravenstein, 1000 Bruxelles

Velvet Louise soirees Every Friday, the Barsey Hotel on Avenue Louise puts on a ‘Velvet Louise’ soiree. In a top quality and intimate setting, you can enjoy a three-course set menu (45 euro per person) or choose ‘a la carte’ (from 18 euro) before moving on the dance floor. You can also just come along for the dancing, which starts at 10.30pm and goes on until midnight or longer, even until 2am sometimes, depending on how many people there are. You can make music requests to the DJ too! Then, every first Friday of the month, it’s ‘Ladies First’ night. The chef puts together a themed set menu, based on flowers or colours or chocolate for example. The big bonus for the ladies is that they pay 50% of their bill, i.e. 22.50 euro instead of 45 euro for the set menu.

Adverts begin at 7.30pm on Saturday 7 November Cost: Ticket prices start at 27.50 euro Call 02 507 8200 for ticket and other information For more info: www.nuitdespublivores.be

U Venue: Barsey Hotel Avenue Louise, 381-383 - Brussels 1050 Tel (for more information and to book): 02 641 5155

Entertainment | comedy

Some Anglo-French comedy?

Standup World is a comedy club with events all year long. In November, it’ll be hosting two nights with stand up comedy artists. Tickets cost 26 euro per person with no discounts. The comedy acts will take place at Theatre 140, 140 Avenue Eugène Plasky, 1030 Brussels, a 10-minute walk from the Commission. You can come along for a pre-show aperitif with your friends as the bar opens at 7 pm. The show then starts at 8.30 pm. An Indian meal is served from 7.15 pm - 8.10 pm for nine euro.

On Saturday 21 November, you can see ‘Priorité à Gauche’ performing.

“They are made up of Jean-Francois and Didier, two French rock, rap, pop and roll stars who have wowed British audiences with their unique sound. This is a F r e n c h exchange like you have never seen before.

Whether rapping about the merits of British culture and their new-found celebrity, or getPriorité à Gauche ting back to

their roots with just a couple of guitars, they are hyper-maxi cool and definitely 'dans la maison' in the home,” says the Standup World website.

U For more info: www.standupworld.com/ NOEL MCLAUGHLIN

Museum late evening specials

Three more comedy acts in early November Standup World is also hosting three comedians on Friday 6 November (venue and price information as above). They are: Geoff Boyz, Tom Basden and Susan Murray.

Tom Basden “A Comedy Genius - The Guardian”

Geoff Boyz – a Glaswegian comic who made his solo debut at the Edinburgh festival in 1996 and one of the first British comics to perform in China.

Susan Murray – Won the first ever Jongleurs competition, Susan’s versatility means that as well as corporates and TV warm up, she has handled biker festivals, music festivals (e.g. Glastonbury).

“A Scottish comedy warrior who is able to take on any audience - Daily Telegraph”

“She has the mentality of a spiteful 14 yr old boy! Very admirable in a young lady! - Arthur Smith”

“His demeanour is tense - his delivery explosive - SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY”

“A right cheeky little lass who oscillates brilliantly and wildly between characters, accents, stories and banging the mike on her head - Three Weeks”

Tom Basden – a Cambridge University graduate who made his solo Edinburgh debut in 2007 with a musical comedy show that won the if.comedy best newcomer award.

U For more info: www.standupworld.com

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PUBLICITE

“ISLAM AND THE WEST� (*) faithful to its dedication as a pioneering movement, started already in Paris in 1980, advocating better understanding and rapprochement between Islam and the West, welcomes you to the International Conference and debate to be held on

November 10th, 11th and 12th, 2009 at the Brussels Exhibition Center (Auditorium 2000) on the theme :

“Islam and the West : a partnership for the future �

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This is not just another conventional forum, but rather a valuable Encounter which seeks to build a genuine partnership founded on common international, social, cultural and economic values that are shared or could be shared, with a view to generate a real cooperation between Islam and the West. In a world which is in the grip of the globalization-related hazards and turmoil, this Encounter may be a gateway to a new era of mutual understanding, fellowship and solidarity. ÂŤ Islam and the West Âť invites all those in favor of a mutually beneďŹ cial rapprochement between the two worlds, men and women of good will, to come and actively join this debate on the future and to participate in the construction of a great Arch of Reconciliation and Exchange between Islam and the West, which aims to bring together, in the same spirit of concord, Jews, Christians and Muslims.

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Cooperate to build.

Build to coexist in Peace.

With the participation of representatives of the international Muslim Community and of Western Countries (Algeria Bangladesh - Belgium - Brazil - Cameroun - Canada - The Arab Republic of Egypt - France-Germany - India - Indonesia - Ireland - Italy - Ivory Coast - Kosovo - Kuwait - Lebanon - Malaysia - Mauritania - Morocco - The Netherlands - Niger - Nigeria Pakistan - Palestinian Authority - Philippines - Qatar - Saudi Arabia - Senegal-Singapore - South Africa - Spain - Sultanate of Brunei - Switzerland - Tunisia-Turkey - United Arab Emirates United Kingdom - United States - Uzbekstan).

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November 10th, 2009

November 11th, 2009

November 12th, 2009

Chairmen : Y. Michot (Belgium), R.D. $SBOF 6 4 " " 0 /BTTFFG 4BVEJ Arabia), R.P. M. Lelong (France).

Chairmen : A. Y. Al-Mannai (Qatar), H. M. Mahdi (Saudi Arabia), G. Aoun (Lebanon), M.E. Kiliç (Turkey).

Chairmen : Balta (France), A. Moatassime (Morocco), C. Segre (Italy), M. Chebel (Algeria)

I. Two worlds reaching out for an interchange

II. Towards renewed solidarity between Islam and the West

III. Rekindled partnership opportunities

1. A common inheritance of shared Abrahamic foundations 2. Evolution of the “Islam and the West “ JOUFSBDUJPO TJODF 3. Convergent societal values 4. Towards a multi-polar better understanding

1. Complementarity and interdependence 2. Western and Islamic legal systems interface 3. Economic stakes : Islam and the West facing the new world order 4. The spiritual dimension : shared pathways

1. Mediterranean space and interfaith values 2. Globalization and inter-civilizational rapprochement 3. Neutrality of the media : current status and perspectives 4. The new bilateral pedagogy of societal values

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Entrance is open to all, within the limits of the seats available.

For more information, please contact : ÂŤ Islam and the West Âť, 17, Rue Cler, 75007 PARIS E-mail: islam.west@orange.fr - Website: http://www.islamandthewestorg.com/

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Focus

Do you have the energy to help save your planet? g Negotiators from all over the world will be descending on Copenhagen in December to try to thrash out a new deal, replacing the existing Kyoto Protocol, to combat climate change. So this month we’ve decided to look at what sort of climate change events are going on in Brussels. On this page, we take a look at some of the inventions that have been on show at the Swedish EU Presidency’s ‘Visual Voltage’ exhibition. The next two pages of this dossier will be about the ‘Kyoto II – it’s our earth’ exhibition at Tour & Taxis and about what sort of green activities you can get up to in and around Brussels.

How big is your ecological footprint?

Get a feel for the size of your ecological footprint by going to www.ecologicalfootprint.com.

I am a light car user and a cyclist. When I put in ‘light car user’ with other answers, it came up with a carbon footprint of 10.2 tonnes of CO2, which, if everyone lived like me, would need three planets to support global consumption!

When I put in ‘cycling/walking’ with the same other answers, I came down to 9.3 tonnes of CO2 (or 2.7 planets) so I guess I need to do a bit more for the planet!

The ‘Visual Voltage’ exhibition organised by Sweden’s Interactive Institute and the Swedish Institute has just finished the Brussels leg of a tour of six venues.

The idea is to enables visitors to explore various forms of electricity and to experience and reflect on energy consumption. Some of Sweden’s best known artists and designers have been brought together with engineers, technical know-how and environmental consideration for the exhibition.

Let’s look at a few of the exhibits.

First off, the ‘Power Aware Cord’, which is designed to help people visualise the energy of the current use of electricity of the appliances connected with it through glowing pulses, flow, and intensity of light.

The Power Aware Cord could in the future be used as a tool for people to rediscover their energy use in their homes as well as a display to see their energy consumption at a glance at any given time. For instance, the effects of changing the volume on stereo equipment becomes immediately and dramatically apparent – as do appliances that are silently stealing electricity while on standby.

The Energy Curtain is a window shade woven from a combination of textile, solar-collection and light-emitting materials. The curtain has a clever twist to the way we normally use it. The curtain must be drawn shut to collect light, and the amount and duration that is drawn during the day determines how much light is collected for the night. Users must make a

choice – whether to open the curtain and enjoy the daylight, or to close it and save energy for later.

This means that even the mundane act of opening or closing the curtain embodies the trade-off between consuming and conserving energy.

The Flower Lamp builds on a technology called remote energy metering to visualize the amount of electricity used in the household as a whole.

Steven Dixon Tore Nilsson 3

Rather than showing how many watts are consumed at any given time, its shape is responsive to the overall trend in consumption. With a decrease in household electrical use, the Flower Lamp slowly opens up and appears to ‘bloom’. If, on the other hand, energy consumption increases, the lamp closes into a more contracted form, which also affects the quality of light emitted.

The message is a collective change in behaviour is needed to make the Flower Lamp more beautiful.

budgets of around 1.9m euro. “The prototypes are made to experiment and raise awareness about the energy issue, so the main goal has not always been to sell them to consumers,” said Olle Dierks, a communications strategist from the Interactive Insitute. The Power Award Cord has potential and the Energy Aware Clock is close to being put on the market. Nine prototypes of the latter have been tested in nine houses over a period of two or three months.

The Energy AWARE Clock is an electricity meter that looks like an ordinary kitchen clock. Take a glance at your Energy AWARE Clock - in the same way you glance at the kitchen clock every now and then – and you’ll see the electricity use of its environment in real time.

If the dishwasher is switched on, it shows immediately on the display of the unit. Yesterday’s graphs fade away slowly and today’s consumption is drawn on top of previous days, making it possible to compare your energy use for several periods.

The result was a 15% energy saving.

The Flower Lamp has been sold to the Pompidou Centre in Paris, which is exhibiting it there. The Brussels Event is over now but you can see the exhibits in Berlin from November until January 2010.

All of the above objects were produced as part of work on two research projects with combined

PER ERIK ADAMSSO

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Marie Topelius, information and cultural officer at the Swedish Embassy in Brussels, explained why the Swedish EU Presidency had organised the event: “We have been trying to connect artistic expressions - in the cultural programme to important objectives of the Swedish Presidency; combatting climate change is one of them.”

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Focus

Cutting down our waste g Waste if often the result of non-sustainable methods of production and consumption. The organizers of

the European Week for the Reduction of Waste say that the consumption of products (including their production, transport and distribution) represents nearly 50% of emissions contributing to climate change.

So that seems like a pretty good reason to think about how we can cut down on our waste.

The European Week for the Reduction of Waste will take place from 21 to 29 November all over Europe. The main aims are to highlight the work of various organisations through concrete examples of waste reduction and to encourage changes in the behaviour of Europeans (consumption, production) in their everyday life. Keep an eye out on www.ewwr.eu for what will be happening in late November.

In addition to the event, organisations have the chance to enter a competition, called the European Waste Reduction Awards, in one of five categories. They are administration/public authority; association/NGO; business/industry; educational establishment; other (e.g. hospital, retirement home, cultural centre etc.).

12 good habits for reducing waste!

• Opt for reusable bags In Belgium, we already know about lots of the different projects. For example, the European Parliament has been working on a three-year project to cut paper production by 15%. During the week, the Ecole Parc Schuman school will be setting its children the task of reducing their consumption of waste. They’ll be looking for ways to reduce the weight of their dustbins in October and November.

Bruxelles Environnement itself will produce a brochure, which may or may not be printed and will appear on the website, with tips on how to reduce waste.

reduction together with regions such as Porto, Catalonia, Dublin, Gipuzkoa and North London. Eighty four organizations and schools took part (77,302 participants), saving 600 tonnes of paper by printing on the back and front of a page rather than just on one side. That saving translated into 1,680 tonnes of CO2 from paper production not being emitted into the atmosphere.

• Put a ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker on your letterbox • Avoid food waste • Buy in bulk or in largesize packaging • Buy eco-rechargeable or refillable products • Drink tap water • Limit use of the printer • Restrict printer usage • Start composting • Donate old clothing • Borrow or hire tools • Repair goods and appliances

Last year, the Brussels region took part in a pilot project about waste

Why is waste reduction important?

Waste reduction is an emergency for the European Union as a whole. Household waste has doubled in weight in 40 years and has been growing steadily at a rate of 1 to 2% per year. in 2007, 522kg of municipal waste was generated on average per person in the EU member states. (Source: Eurostat).

Green walks around Brussels If you go to www.bruxellesenvironnement.be and click on ‘Particuliers’, you’ll see ‘Promenade verte’ on the right hand side of the screen. Click there and you can find out more about a green walk around Brussels of over 60 kilometres. The walk is divided into seven sections of between 5 and 10 kilometres.

There’s an interactive map too so you can plot your route.

You can find organized walks on www.randoplus.be every Sunday in November. For instance, on 29 November, there is one to the Beersel castle, a magnificent example of military architecture from the mediaeval age. Check out the website for details of the walks. Organised cycle rides also take place so keep an eye out on the website or call Thierry Laplanche on his GSM (0472/358956) or email him at Thierry.Laplanche@Randoplus.be There’s no need to pay any subscription to the walking club Cercle Pegase the first time you go along.

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Focus

‘It’s our earth 2’… so let’s save it!

g As the name suggests, ‘It’s our earth 2 – From

Kyoto to Copenhagen’ is a follow-up of the ‘It’s our earth!’ exhibition. From the moment you walk in, the message rings out loud and clear. It’s summed up pretty well by an exhibit, called ‘Les Contemporains’ [The Contemporaries] by German artist Gloria Friedmann. A series of white figures are holding up clocks, all of which are at different times. The idea is that human time has gone mad. It is the time after which we, the contemporaries, are running breathlessly and is the time left to us before having definitively endangered our species.

The exhibition works on at least three different levels – a playful one with lots of buttons to press and questions to answer in interactive ways (especially designed for children), an educational one (for everyone) and an artistic one (perhaps more for adults than children).

won’t have to read everything! The exhibition has kindly opened only the most exciting (with short paragraphs too!) talking about the appearance of life or of resources such as water, carbon, gas, climate changes and major catastrophes. Others tell you about man’s development.

As a visitor, you’re guided past some fascinating pictures showing what some famous monuments would look like if the elements were not kept at bay (e.g. the Great Wall of China virtually buried in sand or the Capitol in Washington covered in jungle) before seeing a film about the creation of the earth. You feel like you’re in the earth’s crust as you enter a room full of books and voices whispering at you. This is in fact a library containing over 4,500 volumes of 1,000 pages each, telling the history of the earth. But don’t worry, you

For adults interested in the science behind climate change, there are explanations (with visual aids) of the causes of greenhouse gases and their effects on our climate.

Throughout the exhibition, you’ll be literally bombarded with statistics of all kinds too.

But the exhibition is not just about the science behind climate change, it’s also about what can and might be done, which comes under the heading ‘Time for action’. Leaders from all over the world will be

going to Copenhagen in December to try and negotiate a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol. You’ll find a big checkerboard with flags and logos – press on one and it will give you a video clip explaining the position of that country or association The checkerboard where you can find out about the posi(e.g. the UN). There’s tions of different countries/international organizations also an interesting historical timeline tracing the discoor long haul flights). Then you can very of the greenhouse effect by reduce your footprint by making scientists in the 18th century commitments to change some of through to the reactions of counthose habits. So, for example, you tries (nothing before 1979!). It was might commit to buying highly quite surprising to learn that the energy efficient white goods Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 appliances such as a dishwasher or but did not come into force until washing machine.

2005 because various countries delayed their ratification of it. One To keep children busy, there’s a can only hope that, if a ‘Kyoto II ‘Dossier pedagogique’ [Educational Protocol’ is signed, it takes less than quiz], which is printed on recycled eight years to come into force! paper. Children will also find a carYou’re then given the chance to act as a decision-maker. After a topic has been outlined, you can vote on particular arguments for or against a policy, technology or principle (e.g. using nuclear energy, carbon trading, a carbon tax or smart electrical networks). And then there’s your personal commitment. First of all, you draw up your own carbon footprint by asking a series of questions about your energy use (e.g. whether you take the plane to go on holiday and whether you take short

toon character called ‘Grrreeny’, who tries to make us aware of the dangers threatening the environment if we don’t change our behaviour. Kids are also asked to tick various commitments that they agree to make to reduce greenhouse gases. They include not asking parents for a car until you’re 18 years old, keeping your possessions longer (the production of an iPod emits 22kg of carbon into the atmosphere) and only eating seasonal food.

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Focus Sunbeams (www.sunbeams.eu) is a group of practically minded individuals who want do do what they can to reduce their impact on the environment. Here are their events in November (for more information, email info@sunbeams.eu):

10 November

from 1pm until 3pm at the International School of Brussels (ISB), Kattenberg 19, 1170 Brussels Workshop on Eco-friendly Living in Belgium - focus on the small steps we can take towards sustainable living through healthy gardening, 'greening' the holiday season, home health and energy efficiency.

12 November - 8.30pm in Ixelles Sunbeams Energy Challenge - easy tips on how to save energy at home. A specialist trained by the IBGE/BIM will answer all your hot questions related to energy savings and investments. An easy way to reduce your energy bill and lower your carbon footprint.

17 November - 09.30am in Tervuren.

What can you do to make your celebrations more ecofriendly? Demonstrations on alternatives for wrapping, many ideas on eco-friendly presents and how reduce the eco-footprint of your party dinners. Making this season great with a good conscience, lots of fun and saving some money as well.

Find out how you can cut your energy bills!

Bruxelles Environnement is organising a series of conferences (free of charge) called ‘Comment agir pour consommer moins d’energie’ [What actions to take to consume less energy] from September through until November. The conferences are about how people can reduce their energy consumption, what different investments will cost and how long they will take to pay for themselves. There’s no need to be a specialist to attend. Cutting your energy bills and a better environment are the main aims. Here are the events for November (to register: Email info@bruxellesenvironnement.be or call 02 775 7575):

4 November 2009 (from 7pm til 9pm)

28 November 2009 (from 2pm til 5pm)

Installations de panneaux solaires [Installing solar panels on your roof]

Agir, un défi afin de consommer moins [How to consume less]

Find out about different types of solar panel and what you need to do to have one installed.

What action should you take, how much will it cost and who do you do it with?

U Where : Auberge de Jeunesse Jacques Brel, rue de la Sablonnière 30 in 1000 Brussels.

U Les Halles Saint Géry, Place Saint Géry 1 in 1000 Brussels.

18 November 2009 (from 7pm til 9pm)

Défi : devenir Carbone neutre [How to become carbon neutral] What is your personal carbon footprint and how can you reduce it? Does everything we do have an impact on the environment?

U Les Halles Saint Géry, Place Saint Géry 1 in 1000 Brussels.

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21 November Sunbeams will have a stand at the Christmas market organized by the International Montessori School.

Bergestraat 24, Tervuren. Lists and samples plus addresses for eco-friendly presents and wrapping will be available. More details on the event will be available soon at www.international-montessori.org

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16 Real Estate

Making ‘la vita’ more ‘bella’ g Remember the Italian film, ‘La Vita e bella’ [Life is beautiful] with Roberto Benigni? Well, here’s your chance to start thinking about how you could make your life ‘più bella’ [more beautiful] by buying a house in a new development very close to Waterloo city centre. .

A house in a new development very close to Waterloo city centre ? That's possible with the “Bellavita” project ! Of course, the houses won’t be ready for quite a few years because an application for permission to build will only be sent to the Wallonian region in early 2010. So that gives you plenty of time to think it through. You can also find out more by going to the website ‘www.bellavita.be’.

Younger and older generations living side by side Basically, the concept is twofold – an ‘intergenerational’ concept and an environmentallyfriendly concept. The latter means that, for

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example, buildings will be energy-efficient, heating will come from burning wood rather than oil or gas and rainwater will be stored and used.

The ‘intergenerational’ concept is about younger and older generations living side by side and helping each other out when the occasion arises. So, for example, the elderly might help mothers and fathers by taking their children to or picking them up from the local crèche while the elderly might want younger people to do their shopping. These are just examples as there are lots of ways that young and old can help each other.

People buying the houses will have to sign up to a legally binding ‘intergenerational’ and ‘environmental’ charter.

‘Environmental’ and ‘intergenerational’ charters Under the environmental charter, residents will commit to recycling their rubbish, not wasting their water and not using their car too much. By signing the intergenerational charter, people will agree to help others by, for example doing some babysitting or lifting some heavy object or doing an odd job around the house. The idea is that there will be quotas of different age groups.

So, for example, 35% of the people living in the housing will be under 55 years old and 65% will be over 55 years old. By signing the intergenerational charter, a buyer will commit to keeping these proportions the same if and when he/she decides to sell.

Big central park and private gardens Elderly people tend to want remain independent as they get older and to stay close to their family, explains the website ‘www.bellavita.be’.

The plan is to have a big central park for all the residents to use so that, for example, the elderly can go for walks with their grandchildren whilst residents will also have their own private gardens. There will also be a help centre for people’s daily practical needs (e.g. housework, shopping, ‘meals on wheels’, gardening, DIY, reading etc.).

An elderly people’s home is expected to have over 100 spaces.

Room for around 250 to 300 houses But there’s plenty more too. The slope of the land will be designed so that it can be easily traversed by wheelchairs. There’ll be a medical centre, shops, a mini supermarket, a restaurant, a building for cultural activities, a gym, a crèche and a job centre. A new RER station is being built nearby too. The land covers some 15 hectares and is expected to have some 250 to 300 houses built on it.

Underground car parks and car ports On the ‘Bellavita’ website, the project coordinators say that a large proportion of the traffic generated by the new site will not be joining the rush hour traffic in the morning or evening. In addition, there will be cycle paths, paths for pedestrians and alleyways separating the different plots of land where the houses are. There will be underground car parks and carports to make sure that the cars are not a blot on the landscape.

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18 Real Estate

Western Europe in the spotlight g There are lots and lots of statistical analyses, but not all of them look the same. Era has just produced its one for

Western Europe in 2008 but it has re-updated the Belgian data.

Big differences from country to country It’s strange but, from its analysis of Western Europe’s property market, the Era network of estate agents points mainly to the major differences in terms of price and activity trends.

IS IT THE RESULT OF THE FEAR of estate agents vis a vis any negative comment on their commercial revenue, the fact remains that for some months research into the Belgian property market says everything … and the opposite. With the European study carried out by the network of estate agents Era (see box) having come out , this impression, which is shared by a number of readers, is once again confirmed. “The Belgian housing market is suffering very little from the credit crisis,” says Era. “So the property market is standing firm in the face of the economic malaise.” And it notes a slight contraction (-1%) in activity and an average rise in prices of 4.3% to 192,000 euro. But the delay in putting houses out for sale is not increasing much as it has only required an extra week on average between 2007 and 2008, so that it is now at 97 days. From the outset, it’s important to say that the figures are for 2008, are therefore nine months behind and only take into account one of the four quarters of the crisis that has already happened.

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But overall Era Belgium does not seem any more concerned about early 2009.

Its CEO Iain Cook sees the crisis as having caused, in October, “a shockwave on the property market”.

“Buyers did not know what to do and banks issues considerable reservations about granting loans.”

Hence the slowdown in activity. “During the first two months of 2009, we did however already observe a clear sign of recovery and, from March, we have sold a record number of houses every month. That compensates the losses of the first few months and even exceeds the results of the first quarter of 2008.” The network notes a major difference between houses up to 250,000 euro (“which sell well as long as they are correctly valued from the beginning,” says Pol Vanacker, co-CEO of Era Belgium, even if they now sell in 106 days), those between 250,000 and one million euro (“which sell more slowly as supply is greater than demand”) and those priced at over one million (“which are harder to sell”).

There is no question of prices falling, at least for three bedroom houses, the network’s reference. “A year ago,” adds Iain Cook, “the price of the average sale of such a house was at 203,081 euro. Today it’s 203,335 euro.” Up then (+0.1%) but down if you take into account…the monthly repayment that it generates. According to the network’s calculations, a year ago this reference house represented a monthly amount of 1,488 euro whilst today, with the help of low interest rates (from 6.3% to 4.8% for a 20 year fixed mortgage), it is only 1,320 euro (11%).

The conclusion is that there’s no point in waiting.

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In terms of value, it’s the UK that suffered the most in 2008, with the average price of a house having fallen by over 35% (to 165,855 euro). By comparison, the 10% drop (to 260,000 euro) in Ireland seems derisory as does the 0.4% drop (to 234,000 euro) in the Netherlands. According to Era, Belgium is not the only one to show upward moves in terms of price: +1.5% in France (to 256,000 euro), + 4.3% in Italy (to 240,000 euro), + 5.4% in Sweden (to 173,000 euro). The same is true for Germany, one of the few countries where prices have rarely increased in recent years. +12.6% in Berlin (practically the only European capital where prices rose last year), + 1.4% in the former East Germany (to 110,000 euro) and + 4% in the former West Germany (to 162,000 euro). The number of transactions in 2008 also varies considerably from one country to another. In Sweden and German, the number has increased by 11% and 5% respectively. In Ireland, it fell by 30%, in Portugal by 21%, in France by 18%, in Italy by 15% and in the Netherlands by 10%.

This is all the more surprising in that the lack of demand has not always had the expected demand on prices as they have continued to rise in France and Italy for example.

Whatever the trends in terms of activity or prices, a transaction has required more time in 2008 than in 2007 in almost every country.

In Ireland, the time lag between the moment when a house goes onto the books of an estate agent and when an undertaking to buy has been signed has risen to 200 days (54 more than the year before) and to 270 days in Portugal (+30 days). In Sweden, it has gone from two months to 105 days. In France, an average house has taken 87 days to sell (against 79 before). In Austria and Germany, the opposite to the general trend, a house has changed owner a little more quickly: five and 17 days less respectively. (C.M.)

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Sport

19

Try out some ice skating or ice hockey from October until April. It costs €200 for the first ten players and €10 per extra player. You must book this at least seven days before the date when you want to play. To reserve, go to www.patinoireposeidon.be and then ‘mail’ and send an email. You’ll have to pay a deposit of €100 on confirmation, with the remainder to be paid on the evening of the game.

The weather in Brussels is starting to get a little colder now and it’s a bit darker in the mornings. That’s the downside of winter but the upside is that the Poseidon ice rink near Metro Tomberg is open and ready for business. There are lots of options too! For one, you can bring your own ice skates, turn up and skate (4.50 euro for those 13 years old and over and 3.50 euro for the under-13s). If you don’t have any, you can rent them for 3.50 euro.

There are also passes if you buy lots of sessions in one go (45 euro for 12 sessions for seniors, making it under 4 euro per time). If you can’t skate or need to brush up your skills, you can have private lessons (by appointment) for 6 euro per 15 minutes.

You can find the phone numbers of the teachers, who speak different languages, at www.patinoireposeidon.be and then ‘lessons’ on the bottom menu.

But there’s more too. For example, you can play a form of ice hockey. To do that, you’ll need a minimum of ten players and a maximum of 20. You’ll have a coach to help you along with the game and you’ll be provided with all the full equipment, including skates. It’s possible to play on Thursday evenings from 9.15pm till 11.15pm

You can also organise a birthday party for your child or children (only on Wednesday afternoons and not during school holidays). The kids will be able to skate all afternoon until 6pm and can enjoy some birthday cake and a soft drink. It cost s 14 euro per person and there’s a maximum of 25 children. You’ll need to pay a €25 down payment.

For more information and to book, call Mr. Walkiers on 0475 716 821

Julian Hale

Swimming and lots more sport on offer at the Poseidon leisure centre Next door to the ice rink, the Poseidon leisure centre has lots of sport to offer, including swimming. It’s worth knowing that, since January 2008, children under ten who live in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, are allowed into the swimming pool for free on Sunday mornings as long as they are accompanied by an adult. All those living in the commune, including people living in Crainhem, can also go swimming here at a discounted rate. There’s lots to do here as Poseidon has a swimming pool, a swimming teaching pool, a water play area for babies, seven Jacuzzis and a solarium. Aside from bank holidays, they’re open every day from 7.30am until 7.30pm (until 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays).

There are plenty of swimming classes on offer for babies and small children too, from six months old up to 12 years old. And if you’re looking for something for your child(ren) to do for their birthday, that’s also possible here. If your child is between five and ten years old, the Poseidon team can put together a programme of activities such as a treasure hunt or a relay race, followed by something to eat. You can do this on Wednesdays, Saturdays or Sundays from 2pm until 5.45pm. The cost is 100 euro for ten children and 185 euro for 20 children.

There are lots of other sports here too: a big sports hall for games like basketball, volleyball and badminton, a table tennis room, a martial arts room, a room with a climbing wall and a small room for gym-type activities. And if you want to relax a bit, there’s a small snack bar with basic food and a sauna.

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JANI-KING excels in the art of cleaning, thanks to the methods and techniques that made its reputation – For in-depth cleaning before and after occupation of a leased or sold property.

– Refreshes your carpets and revives the colours.

– Restores the shine of marble.

– Renovates and brings back the shine of your thermoplastics floors.

Constantin ROMAS Administrateur Délégué JANI-KING Belgique 412, avenue de Tervuren B 1150 BRUXELLES ✆ 02 763 47 10 02 763 47 14 Email : info@janiking.be Site : www.janiking.be

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Afterwork

Let’s party in ‘Le Bois’! g With the recent opening of Wood, the Chalet Robinson and the patio of the ‘Jeux d’Hiver’, the Bois de la Cambre is

really going places now.

The 6 December 2005 is a dark day in the history of the Bois de la Cambre. On that day, smoke from the ‘Jeux d’Hiver’ rose above the treetops. It was a criminal act that no-one admitted to having done. After the fire at the Chalet Robinson, the question is whether ‘Le Bois’ is cursed. It’s true that things did not look great at the time. With refurbishing work that did not look too good and projects that never materialised, this green corner of Brussels was falling by the wayside. Four years on and the situation has changed as if by magic. Projects are now coming in their droves. First there was the new ‘Jeux d’Hiver’, then the Wood and finally the Chalet Robinson. The Bois de la Cambre is now one of the major recreational areas in Brussels. We look back at those who were behind this renewal.

The safe bet With twenty years on the clock, the ‘Jeux d’Hiver’ are one of the oldest things in the ‘Bois’.

More than just a mild facelift, the place has been completely renovated. The idea was for the changes to last a long time. The ‘Jeux d’Hiver’ has gone back to its roots, namely the external lines of the Chalet des Rossignols [nightingales] in 1925. Festoons and consoles restore the spirit of the place with a real historical touch. The interior is more in the modern day style with technological innovations. Out goes the colonial style décor and in comes the aesthetic Land Art style, both vegetable and mineral, for this 130-seater spot. It’s all set off with LEDs, electroluminescent projections and, as the mood of the moment would have it, optimal energy management – thanks in particular to a rainwater recovery system. More broadly, the construction work on the new-look ‘Jeux d’Hiver’ is being done in three phases. Phase one is the renova-

tion set out above. Phase two has just finished with the opening of the new patio. The place now has an amazing retractable bar. It all amounts to an area which can be used in different ways. The last phase will be over in four months. It’ll deal with the back area of the Jeux d’Hiver’. The revolving dance floor will go and there’ll be a new bar – the ‘BOMA’ (Bar of Modern Art).

AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING HERE: 20 to 40 years old.

THE PLUS: superb interior decoration.

THE MINUS: The fact that it’s just for a wealthy few. le côté happy few.

U Jeux d’Hiver, chemin du Croquet, 1 1000 Bruxelles.

Tel. : 02 649 08 64. www.jeuxdhiver.be

Wasabi Retrouvez les bons plans restos de Wasabi dans La Tribune de Bruxelles et sur www.tribunedebruxelles.be

CONCOURS TO Win: 15 RestoPass: The innovative way to discover Brussels’ favourite restaurants… and get for each 30% discount on the food bill.

The RestoPass is a passport-sized booklet, with an excellent restaurant described on each page. The concept allows the RestoPass user to benefit from a 30% discount on the food bill to each of the 30 participating restaurants, which were chosen via a survey of more than 1,500 Brussels residents.

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To win a RestoPass, send an email to tbx.concours@saipm.com before 18 November 2009 mentioning the answer to the question :

“How much does a RestoPass cost?”

The winners will be warned by email.

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Afterwork

Nature is back with a bang La jeune pousse

Subtitled ‘Urban and Nature’, Wood has set itself up in one of the old hunting pavillions in the Bois de la Cambre, a little Flemish neo-renaissance style gem.

Directed by Carl de Moncharline and Serge Vanderheyden, the duo who were behind the ‘Who’s Who Land’ in rue du Poinçon, this place is right on the money.

We always knew we could rely on Carl de Moncharline to get it right.

Very much in tune with what people are thinking about, the man behind the Roller Parade has dreamed up an area in direct contact with the environment, rather like the vegetable bar. There are two levels and a magnificent 350-seater terrace. What’s so good about the place? Its openness. Carl de Moncharline has used his network to the full - there are lots of sponsors, lots of Eric Bochman wines and Rob products.

Wood is both a restaurant and a club/bar (from Wednesday to Saturday from midnight to 4am). In terms of what’s special about it, Wood backs onto another hunting pavilion occupied by the Maison Forestière asbl. Working with Natagora, the mission of the Maison Forestière asbl is to initiate the wider public to the legacy of the wood. It does so, inter alia, via nature walks – for example on the hunt for bats.

AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING HERE: 20 to 40 years old.

THE PLUS: the concept.

THE MINUS: the multiple sponsors which turns the menu into an advertising brochure.

UWood, avenue de Flore, 3-4 – 1000 Bruxelles. Tél. : 02 640 19 68. www.thewood.be

The chalet that has come a long way The Chalet Robinson, located on the island of the same name, nearly never returned. It was burnt down twice, in 1896 and 1991, and had to wait eighteen years to be back. The rebuilding project, which has existed since 1998, took ten years to make good… just before the construction permit expired in January 2008. The reasons included: planning, firemen, local residents… This was a multi-faceted mess involving federal, communal and regional authorities. But now, this magnificent wooden structure, which we must thank architect Marc A. Pons

for, dominates the lake. It’s essentially a restaurant with as much in the way of nibbles – tapas, Capoue ice creams and crepes – as real food. The menu ranges from ‘boulettes aux chicons’ at 15 euro to ‘noix d’entrecôte de Wagyu’ at 65 euro. That’s down to the Van Hamme brothers, owner of the Mess and the A Propos caterer. With the option of having a boat ride too, this is a great place for a family Sunday.

AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING HERE: from 7 to 77 years old.

THE PLUS: the island location.

THE MINUS: the island location.

UChalet Robinson, sentier de l’Embarcadère, 1 – 1000 Bruxelles. Tél. : 02 372 92 92. "www.chaletrobinson.bee

Although it’s only been going for a year, the Red Line has really come a long way. Located in the old Mexican Grill, this place has really found a following, namely the upper-crust youth from the south of Brussels. Jérôme Blanchard has done this by playing the ‘warm-up’ bar card. It’s somewhere between a bar and a club – you can move your body here – and gets things going. There’s free pool plus varied and generally commercial music. On Thursday, bottles of spirits come to 35 euro.

AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING HERE: from 20 to 25 years old.

THE PLUS: good atmosphere.

THE MINUS: open the windows, it’s really hot.

URed Line, chaussée de Waterloo, 782 – 1180 Bruxelles. NB : you can only get in via the wood.

21

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Shopping

HOT COULEURS 2 1 3

4

6

8

9 5

11

10 7

1/ Marie's Corner, Canapé Georgetown en tissu shaw rouge, 2514€. 2/ Must by Lucia Esteves, la toute nouvelle bouteille Hennessy ‘Very Special’ imaginée par les artistes Kesh et Burrows. Environ 35€. 3/ Nespresso CitiZ 179 € (existe aussi en 60’s White, Limousine Black et Steel Grey). 4/ Wittamer, les corbeilles irrésistibles de 1kg, 66€. 5/ Déco de Noël. Ikea, 5,99€. 6/ Kiehl's Forest Rain, Forest Rain, chez Senteurs d'ailleurs, 53€. 7/ Cointrea,u by Catherine Malandrino, 75€. 8/ Easton Pearson, chez Cachemire coton et soie, 340€. 9/ Muguet, de Heschung chez cachemire coton et soie, 295€. 10/ Beanie, Rue Blanche, 60€. 11/ Etam édition limitée Noël 2009, pochette boule et jarretière, 10?, nuisette, 35€ 5. Body, 40€ 2. ensemble, 32€

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Shopping 12/ La Crème chaleur pour les pieds de Hansaplast, 5,99€ le tube de 75ml..13/ Eric Bompard, Cachemire, 252€. 14/ Trench imperméable fushia, Monsieur Bul, 295 €. En vente à Bruxelles chez Valérie Berckmans, So !, Des Habits Et Moi, Des Robes et Moi. 15/ Raidillon chronographe 48 mm automatique, limité à 55 exemplaires. 2 800€ (en orange ou rouge). 16/ Mini boots, Guimik chez Mellow Yellow, 159€. 17/ Gants, Skunkfunk, 32,50€. 18/ Bague La Tracest, Isabelle Lenfant, 405€ chez Collectors Gallery.

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BARON HORTA 9, B-1000 BRUSSELS TICKETS & INFO WWW.CINEMATEK.BE - TICKET 3 € / 1 € + SEASON TICKET

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SUNDAY 8 NOVEMBER There are some great deals in the air.

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The Brussels Tribune takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the weblinks on this page. It is up to the reader to check these.

26

Weborama

Books www.critiqueslibres.com A website (in French) where book aficionados can see critiques of books from a wide range of genres. The sections cover literature, comic strips (we’re in Belgium remember!), art and leisure, science, youth & children and theatre & poetry. The critiques look at areas such as the book’s style, story, characters and drawings (if there are any). You can take part in forum discussions and send in your opinion about a book too. Books are given ratings from one star to five.

www.libfly.com/

Shopping

pagesdor.truvo.be Pages d’or is like the ‘Yellow pages’ in the UK, a great website to look for plumbers, garages, sports shops and all sorts of things. The interface is simple too – you type in what you’re looking

for and where. The website is in English, French and Dutch.

Shopinbrussels.be If you’re looking for shops in Brussels and where they are, this is a great website (in English, French and Dutch) as it allows you to take a virtual stroll around the city using an interactive map. As you enter the website, you can find categories such as fashion, culture & multimedia, vehicles, restaurants, home & decoration and lots more. On the interactive map, you can click on particular areas to find out general information. For example, if you click on Marolles, you find out the following: A district with a long popular tradition, les Marolles is the scene each morning of the Vieux Marché, held in the Place du Jeu de Balle. At this atmospheric market, you can find a variety of second-hand stalls, along with furniture and decoration shops along the two main arteries, the Rue Haute and Rue Blaes. And in the shadow of the Palais de Justice, the Place Breugel offers an inviting spot to take refreshments.

A website (in French) where book lovers can read critiques of books and find out where they can either borrow or buy them close to where they live.

You can read critiques of books, listen to authors speak about their books or reading extracts as well as listen to actors reading extracts from their favourite books. There’s also a Libfly contributors’ programme where you can earn points by writing commentaries (1 point), creating reading lists (10 points) or groups (5 points). Just registering on the website gives you 25 points to get you going! With 100 points, you can win a prize worth 10 euro, with 200 points a prize worth 25 euro and so on… It’s also possible to make your ‘points information’ public and take part in a ranking of the best Libfly contributors. More formation at: www.libfly.com/programme.html

Computer games

Expats in Brussels

http://europa.eu/europago/welcome.jsp

www.expat-blog.com

A website (in French) where book aficionados can see critiques of books from a wide range of genres. The sections cover literature, comic strips (we’re in Belgium remember!), art and leisure, science, youth & children and theatre & poetry. The critiques look at areas such as the book’s style, story, characters and drawings (if there are any). You can take part in forum discussions and send in your opinion about a book too. Books are given ratings from one star to five.

If you go from the home page to Europe and to Belgium, you can find profiles of other expats from your country (under ‘Popular expat communities’) and send them a message. You can also see posts where people ask questions (under ‘Latest discussions’) and lots of blogs (under ‘Latest blogs’). For example, you might look at ‘Belgofile’, described as “Just for fun: Impressions, musings and observations of a Chicagoan living in Belgium”. Then you can look at the author’s profile and the blog itself at http://belgofile.blogspot.com/

europa.eu/linguago/

In April 2009, the Belgofile blogger writes that fictional detective Hercule Poirot ("I'm not a Frenchy, I'm a Belgy") beat Papa Smurf in a Belgofile poll of favorite Belgian fictional heroes.

Here sections include ‘Brussels Life’, ‘Belgian celebs’, ‘Food and Drink’, ‘Film and TV’ and plenty more. Take a wander round the different blogs and see what you think…

LinguaGo is a language computer game that has been developed by the European Commission's translation department together with the Commission’s Communication Directorate General. The aim of the game is to navigate a language maze and collect parcels. To get through the maze, players need to guess the names of the European languages and steer clear of mischievous spiders. As they progress, they will also have to play the game in languages other than their own.

They can also register their name and save their score. To play the game, you need Adobe Flash Player version 10.

Blogs about the EU http://bruxelles.blogs.liberation.fr ‘Coulisses de Bruxelles’ is an excellent and entertainingly written blog (in French) about EU politics. The blogger, Jean Quatremer, is La Liberation’s correspondent in Brussels. For example, in October he wrote about the pros and cons of former UK prime minister Tony Blair becoming the EU’s first President as well as the support he has from some countries and the opposition from others. The blog also talks about other candidates such as current Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende, former Finnish prime minister Paavo Lipponenj and Luxembourg’s prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker.

This is a good blog to keep up to date with developments ‘behind the scenes’, as the name of the blog suggests. In another blog, he describes the European Commission’s concerns about a future shortage of interpreters, in particular French ones. In a document called ‘Français, langue rare’ [French, a rare language], there are some interesting statistics: The total cost of interpreting in the EU is 46 eurocents per year per citizen (this will have gone up to 50 eurocents by 2012). The total is 2 euro per citizen per year if the cost of translating documents is added to that. The Directorate General for Interpreting employs 550 staff interpreters and over 300-400 freelance interpreters per day to provide interpretation for 50 to 60 meetings per day.

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